SMART Homes on the Rise

Using smart products to automate the home is well on its way to becoming a standard feature expectation. More than just a novelty, smart features address safety and security, functionality, as well as lifestyle and entertainment perks.

You can now have devices in your life which respond to your voice command. From a remote location, you can control your home with your iphone. Some products can even learn the habits of the family and self-instruct to suit. In turn, these devices will communicate back and send you information. Appliances, lights, thermostats, locks, cameras, window treatments, clocks, pet feeders, lawn sprinklers, and even lawn mowers. Products range from those you can install yourself for a nominal cost to those that require a serious investment of time and money.

Deciding what may be worth the investment for you will take some research and thought.

If energy efficiency is important to you, you may want to start with smart thermostats and automated window coverings which allow you to control the sun exposure while you’re at work. Nest has a smart thermostat, for example, which can be controlled by a smartphone, and programmed to learn a homeowner’s daily routine and adjust the home’s temperature accordingly. It also has sensors that keep track of whether a home is empty, and it can use less energy while no one is there. Nest claims it can lower an owner’s heating and cooling bills by up to 20 percent.

There are many other great new concepts available. A fridge that preserves the freshness of food with a smart cooling system to sense humidity levels. A light bulb that contains a hidden speaker to play music wirelessly, controlled via an app that works on personal smart devices. TVs that stream, and automated vacuums and mops. An alarm system which allows you to keep an eye on your home from anywhere with window sensors, door sensors, motion detectors, and cameras all connected wirelessly and controlled via an app that also has the option to monitor and control a home’s lighting, thermostat and smoke detectors. And more.

Intrigued? You can start small with just one or two smart devices. Products are being developed and refined constantly, so a little homework is a good idea. Check out The Best Smart Home Devices of 2017.

However much and for whatever reason these techie new tools appeal to you, don’t forget to weigh in the potential value added when the house is sold. When selling, these features can set the property above the competition.